Addiction can destroy us physically, mentally, and spiritually. During your darkest times, you might have felt a lack of purpose, loneliness, self-loathing, and out of control. It can be hard to find things like purpose and self-esteem in ordinary life if you don’t know where to look.
A few years ago, we wrote about how spirituality strengthens your recovery. But what if you have disconnected from spirituality altogether? How do you reconnect again to a higher power? Where do you even begin?
Everyone’s recovery is different, but healing through spirituality might be right for you. Here are six ways that you can start reconnecting with your faith.
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Go Through The 12-Steps
You might have heard of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA), which are two of the world’s most popular 12-Step programs. Renaissance Ranch has its very own 12-Step approach that combines the traditional 12-Steps and spiritual principles.
Programs like these give you the opportunity to learn what’s within your control and what isn’t. They also offer a sense of community, much like a congregation that provides guidance, support, and prayer. People who suffer from addiction benefit from hearing about the experiences of others and learning that they are not alone.
Join A Local Congregation
Joining a local congregation has plenty of benefits, including feeling like a part of something bigger and finding spiritually like-minded people. A place of worship can also work as a larger support system and offer something to fill your schedule. It’s common for smaller groups based on common interests to meet weekly, such as bible study, musical performance, and community outreach.
When searching for a congregation, consider your identity and values. If a place of worship judges you based on your past experiences, then there is a chance it will be a toxic experience. You need to find a place where you can be yourself and feel at home.
Practice Gratitude
Feeling grateful can be a spiritual practice in itself. By practicing gratitude, you are taking the time to be thankful for what you have in life, whether it be your friends, family, your own hard work, or a higher power. It’s easy to get lost in all the negativity, but it can feel great when you truly appreciate everything you have. In what ways are you blessed?
Gratitude helps you focus on the positives, which can lower stress — something that is directly connected to increasing our chances of relapse. Gratitude can also boost our confidence and improve our emotional well-being.
Click here for more information about how gratitude can make the road to recovery easier.
Volunteer
When you help others, you help yourself. Giving to others makes us feel good, keeps us connected, and can be another way to practice kindness and gratitude. There are plenty of volunteer opportunities in every community, whether it be volunteering for a local soup kitchen, animal shelter, hospital, or anywhere else in need.
Helping your community can also be a way of healing. In the past, you might have caused pain and harm. But in the present, you can create a better future for yourself and others in your community. Congregations usually have volunteer opportunities and many 12-Step programs include giving back to the community as part of the healing process.
Meditation And Prayer
When you take the time to meditate or pray, you are slowing down and checking in. You can take this time to reflect and focus your attention not just on yourself, but on things that are bigger than you. Taking the time to pray can be helpful when you are feeling stressed, anxious, or out of control.
Take Care Of Yourself
Caring about your mind and body leaves room to care about yourself spiritually. Your mind, body, and spirit are interconnected in many ways and each one can influence the others. Addiction often destroys your body, meaning that self-care is another way of healing. If you don’t take care of yourself, it can affect your mental health which then causes your self-esteem to be damaged, creating a vicious cycle.
Many spiritual practices have rules about respecting your body, whether it be the foods you eat or how much you drink. Others focus on self-care as an extension of spirituality. Nourishing your body includes eating well, making time to exercise, and regularly visiting healthcare professionals.
After recovery, it can be difficult to reconnect spiritually again. You might feel unworthy, immoral, or just plain lost. But reconnecting spiritually has many benefits and there are plenty of easy ways to do it. Joining a 12-Step program can be a great start and is an ideal way to meet others with similar experiences. Joining a congregation can give you a larger support system with spiritually like-minded people. Practicing gratitude can be a simple way to connect spiritually if you can’t commit to physically attending weekly meetings or services. Volunteer work is a powerful way to feel connected to your community and give back. Prayer can help you slow down, de-stress, and connect with a higher power. And finally, taking care of yourself helps you heal physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Here at Renaissance Ranch, we believe that connecting to spirituality is essential to recovery. To learn more, contact us today at (801) 308-8898.